


Serpents

by jenny_of_oldstones



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daemons, F/M, Mages and Templars, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2018-11-04
Packaged: 2019-08-17 08:58:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16513262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenny_of_oldstones/pseuds/jenny_of_oldstones
Summary: A mage with a snake daemon was asking for trouble.





	Serpents

Cassandra tried her best not to stereotype. After all, the shape of one's daemon mattered as little as the shape of one's nose or the color of one's hair.

But, if she was completely honest, it did not surprise her in the least that the Herald's daemon was a snake.

What kind of snake she could not guess, only that it was long and black with cold, unfeeling eyes. Such daemons were common in the Circles of the Imperium, and any southern mage whose daemon settled as such was kept under close watch. Superstition, yes, but Cassandra had hunted enough maleficar and apostates in her life to know there was an element of truth to it. There was no shortage of mages with foolish notions of freedom who also happened to have serpents coiled up their sleeves.

And Trevelyan was every inch a rebel mage. 

It was after a hard day trekking through the Hinterlands that she decided to probe the matter with him. Their party made camp under a cliff face. Varric immediately collapsed into his bedroll. Solas, with his usual politeness, gathered firewood and water for them first, before he and his wolf retired into his tent. That left her and Trevelyan on watch. 

If Trevelyan found this arrangement disagreeable, he said nothing. He stoked the campfire with a careless wave of his hand.

Cassandra fed kindling into the flames. "There are many who would judge a mage with a snake daemon to be trouble." 

"A few already have," he said.

"I simply meant that there are those who would use the shape of your daemon to cast aspersions upon our cause. You will need to be on your guard."

"You don't say." 

"Are you always this sarcastic?" 

"Not at all. By all means, tell me more about mages and snake daemons."

Cassandra scowled. His expression was hidden utterly in shadow by his hood. The only hint as to his mood was a slight movement beneath his duster, where his daemon coiled around his throat.  

“I know for a fact that your daemon is not dangerous," she said. "But there are those who will see it as a sign that you are a blood mage or worse. That you are the Herald will not stop people from fearing you, even attacking you for it."

"Who said my daemon's not dangerous?" he said. 

"I did. I saw how she did not fight with us in the last battle. Either you are a coward who will not risk your own daemon, or else she is non-venomous and hardly a threat." She paused. "Is she venomous?"

"No," he said.

She nodded, satisfied. "From her size, she is likely sluggish as well."   

"You're not concerned that she might creep up on your eagle in the middle of the night and strangle him to death?" He pointed at the branch where her daemon perched above the rising cinders.

"Not unless your snake can fly." She gave him a cold smile.

The fire popped and crackled between them. Bark flaked down onto Cassandra's shoulders. In the pine tree above, Parsifal's talons dug into the branch where he perched. His golden eyes were flat discs of opacity, eerie in the dark. They were fixed on the glint of Trevelyan's snake as it slithered around his neck.

"Besides," said Cassandra, "while I do not believe you had anything to do with anything that happened at the Conclave, I have my eye on you." 

“And Solas, too?"

“Of course. I may no longer be a Seeker, but I would not leave you alone with the burden of your magic." 

Trevelyan's nose curled. 

"I am a mage of the rebellion," he said softly. "And you don't need to repeat what you are. You've made that clear enough already."

"As you wish. Just know that we are united in a common cause." 

"I won't forget it," he said, and rose to retire to his tent. Somehow, she didn't think he meant just their conversation.

She didn't need to remind him that eagles ate snakes and not the other way around.

 

* * *

  

When she awoke the next morning, it was to the sound of her daemon screaming.

Cassandra crashed out of her tent. She tripped over her own trousers and sprawled in the dirt. Only years of training prevented her sword from flying from her hands. 

"Parsifal-" Her eagle was above, on the branch above her tent, and he was.....fine. His wings were slightly raised in alarm, his feathers puffed, but otherwise he was fine.

"What....I don't...." Her heart was pounding. Fear hammered through both of them. 

It was only then that she realized that Trevelyan was already awake. He sat on the log he had sat on the night before, by the cold remains of the fire. The blue dawn light turned his duster's hood into a black keyhole, hiding his face. 

Nevertheless, she felt him smiling at her. 

Up in the tree, spiraled around the branch where Parsifal had been sleeping, was the snake daemon. Its long, powerful body gripped the bark like a fist, its forked tongue flicking innocently in the damp, dawn air.    

"She can climb," said Cassandra, stupidly.    

"Yes," said Trevleyan. "Nice knickers."    

Cassandra slapped a hand over her shame and felt her face flush. Parsifal flapped off his branch and skidded in the dirt beside her. He was a massive eagle of the steppes, but even so, the confusion on his face was more than a little buffoonish.    

"She merely startled him," said Cassandra. 

"I can see that." 

"Yes.....most humorous." She pushed back into her tent. Trevelyan's soft chuckle chased her the whole way.

And under it, almost too soft to hear, was the pleased hiss of the snake. 


End file.
